Everything you need to know about Merino Silk Yarn

When you are a fiber artist, you love yarn, but it is essential to understand its nature, too. There are so many yarns regarding fibers, materials, colors, ply, weight and dyeing techniques, and so much more. Most yarn shops, manufacturers, and designers get creative in coloring. Hand-dyed yarns are a beautiful expression of creativity that add a special touch to the yarn. You can find attractive options in solid, semi-solid, variegated, and other yarn varieties. There is a world of endless possibilities waiting, and considering them all at once may feel overwhelming.

The most obvious factor in choosing yarn is the requirement of your next project. What works for a pair of socks is not suitable for a blanket. Similarly what best suits a light summer cardigan may not do well for a winter baby hat. The next factor is your tools- knitting needles or crochet hooks in the suitable sizes. The lightweight yarns or the super bulky yarn do not work on medium-sized needles and require special measures. If you follow a pattern, the designer’s instructions are essential, or the project will not turn how you want. Many crafters have the cost factor to consider. Luxurious and premium yarns can be costly, while some budget-friendly threads may not stand the test of durability.

To help you choose an affordably-priced luxurious hand-dyed yarn, in this blog, we’ll discuss everything about Symfonie Luna Yarns, a blend of wool and silk thread.

Merino Wool

Merino wool is one of the most commonly used yarns, whether you are into knitting or crocheting. Straight from the back of the fluffy sheep, they are sturdy, durable, and ideal for all kinds of projects. The wool from Merino sheep is often considered to be the softest of sheep wool. For knitting and crochet projects, Merino wool is definitely next-to-skin comfortable. Though some people have wool allergies, most are not allergic to the fiber itself but to the lanolin oil it contains. This grease can be removed by washing the yarn before use. To prevent allergies, a yarn blend can be an ideal solution to balance the beautiful wool with some other material.

Silk Yarn

Silk yarn is a delight. The delicate fiber adds magic to the project. Harvested from silk-rearing worms, the natural fiber has a sheen that makes it dreamy. Silk fibers are robust, marvelously lustrous, and soft. The material feels cool in warm weather and warm in cool weather. These silks have drape and fall that fabulously work for all kinds of projects.

Symfonie Luna Yarn

Bringing together Merino wool and silks, the Luna series from Symfonie Yarns is a blend of 75% wool and 25% silk. The DK (double-knit or 8-ply) hand-dyed yarn is available in 16 colors. The Merino silk yarn is perfect for dreamy shawls, cowls, hats, and more. Inspired by India’s vibrant heritage of precious gemstones and semi-precious minerals found in temples and shrines, each hand-dyed shade reflects the elegance of the history, culture, and beauty of the vast Indian subcontinent.

Before you get going and cast on your knitting pattern or work on the foundation crochet, here are a few things to know about the luxurious Merino silk yarn:

Fiber

The yarn stays cool during summer and warm in winter. Knitters and crocheters feel its drape while working on their projects. It has a soft stitch definition that blends well with all patterns, from simple garter or Stockinette to intricate lace in knitting. Similarly, for crochet, too, it has a supple stitch definition allowing stitches to flow and stay intact. The natural fiber is soft due to the Merino wool and silk blend.

The strength of the blended yarn is definitely of note. The wool constituent gives it durability for all kinds of projects.

Gauge

The DK weight yarn is easy to be worked with knitting needles and crochet hooks. You can choose any needle size, such as 3mm to 4mm (US 3.5 – US 6). For crochet hooks, sizes such as C (2.75 mm) - D (3.25 mm) are popular. If you planning to knit lace patterns or work with different techniques, you can experiment with the sizes.

First, make a swatch with the yarn and needle to get the correct gauge. If you are knitting, make a square of 10 cm in Stockinette. This way, you get to practice both the knit ad purl stitches. Also, if you are making a gauge swatch for a project knit in the round, it is recommended to knit a circular swatch too. Once the swatch is ready, wash and block it, then prepare for measurements.

With the needle tip, you can measure stitches by inch. Counting vertically will give you a row count, while you get the stitch count horizontally. You have the correct gauge if you have the exact count as mentioned in the pattern. If there are more stitches than mentioned, you need to work with a larger needle, and if there are fewer stitches, choose a smaller needle size. If you are planning your pattern, you can calculate the amount of yarn you’ll be needing for your project by estimating the entire stitch count for the project.

For crochet, work on a square of 10 cm with single crochet stitches. Like the knit gauge, wash and block it. Measure vertically and horizontally for row and stitch count. In this, adjust your crochet hook size accordingly if it does not match the gauge in the pattern.

With this blog, you are now ready to work with Merino silk yarns. Prepare for shimmering sweaters, cardigans, or a beautiful scarf or cowl.